This invention relates generally to input devices for electronic devices including computer systems and particularly to such devices using video control inputs.
A variety of pointing devices have been used in computer systems to control the position of a pointer or cursor on a display. A pointer or cursor is an image that may be moved across the screen to select a particular option provided in the form of a physical depiction on a user interface. In this way, the user may interact with a video display to provide focus to particular tasks and activities offered through the user interface.
Known pointing devices include the mouse, track ball and the pointing stick. All of these devices generally involve an electromechanical interface which is prone to failure. When the interface fails, it may result in an incorrect signal which may cause movement of the pointing device to be incorrectly reflected in the pointer position of the display.
Another well known pointing device, the touch pad pointing device, allows the user to touch a contact surface. Movements of the user""s finger on the contact surface are tracked as corresponding movements of the pointer on the computer display. Normally, touch pads have capacitive sensors which detect finger position and movement and translate that movement into position control signals.
The touch pad pointing devices are subject to being fouled by dirt or moisture, resulting in incorrect signals as described above. In addition the touch pad devices provide a limited degree of movement, making it difficult to learn to control the pointer using the limited movements available through the pointing devices.
A number of computer systems use keyboards for inputting text information to the computer. The keyboard is generally connected to the computer by a cable. Like the pointing device, the keyboard involves an electromechanical interface which is prone to failure. These failures may result in the inability of a particular key to activate a particular input. In any case, inputs which are provided to the keyboard may be inaccurately reflected in the text which appears on the display screen.
Thus, there is a need for an improved input device which allows the user to input information in ways which may be less prone to failure.
A number of electronic devices, including computer systems, include relatively bulky input devices such as keyboards. For example, in many portable computers such as laptop or notebook computers, a folding housing is used in which the display is essentially one portion of the overall housing and the keyboard is the other portion. Thus, a considerable portion of the overall bulk of the device is taken up by the keyboard. Similarly in some personal digital assistants (PDAs) or palm-sized computers, the keyboard or keypad input device takes up a considerable portion of the overall bulk of the device.
There is a demand for ever smaller computing devices. Portable computers such as laptop or notebook computers are progressively decreasing in size. Similarly there is increasing interest in palm-sized or PDA-type computer systems.
Thus, there is a continuing demand for new ways to reduce the size of electronic devices including computer systems.
In accordance with one embodiment, a method for inputting data to an electronic device includes projecting an image on a surface. User movements are detected relative to the projected image.